Belief in God, according to atheists, is irrational, illogical, and dumb. Belief that the universe created itself is, they say, intelligent, rational, and based in science. This is simply false. Nothing can create itself. Everything has a cause--including the universe. That cause, argues Peter Kreeft, professor of philosophy at Boston College, is God, the "unmoved mover." Belief in God, as Kreeft shows, is more rational than belief in nothing. Logic, science, and reason, support God. Atheism, as you'll see, is far more steeped in blind faith than is belief.
Donate today to PragerU! http://l.prageru.com/2ylo1Yt
Joining PragerU is free! Sign up now to get all our videos as soon as they're released. http://prageru.com/signup
Download Pragerpedia on your iPhone or Android! Thousands of sources and facts at your fingertips.
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Script:
Is it rational to believe in God?
Many people think that faith and reason are opposites; that belief in God and tough-minded logical reasoning are like oil and water. They are wrong. Belief in God is far more rational than atheism.
Logic can show that there is a God. If you look at the universe with common sense and an open mind, you’ll find that it’s full of God’s fingerprints.
A good place to start is with an argument by Thomas Aquinas, the great 13th century philosopher and theologian.
The argument starts with the not very startling observation that things move. But nothing moves for no reason. Something must cause that movement. And whatever caused that, must be caused by something else, and so on. But this causal chain cannot go backwards forever. It must have a beginning. There must be an Unmoved Mover to begin all the motion in the universe: a first domino to start the whole chain moving, since mere matter never moves itself.
A modern objection to this argument is that some movements things in quantum mechanics -- radioactive decay, for example -- have no discernible cause, but hang on a second. Just because scientists don’t see a cause, doesn’t mean there isn’t one. It just means science hasn’t found it yet. Maybe some day they will. But then there will have to be a new cause to explain that one. And so on and so on. But science will never find the first cause. That’s no knock on science. It simply means that a first cause lies outside the realm of science.
Another way to explain this argument is that everything that begins must have a cause. Nothing can come from nothing. So if there is no first cause, there can’t be second causes. Or anything at all. In other words, if there’s no creator, there can’t be a universe.
But, what if the universe were infinitely old, you might ask? Well, all scientists today agree that the universe is not infinitely old, that it had a beginning in the Big Bang.
If the universe had a beginning, then it didn’t have to exist. And things which don’t have to exist, must have a cause.
There’s confirmation of this argument from Big Bang Cosmology. We now know that all matter, that is, the whole universe, came into existence some 13.7 billion years ago and it’s been expanding and cooling ever since. No scientist doubts that anymore, even though before it was scientifically proved, atheists called it “creationism in disguise.”
Now add to this premise, a very logical second premise -- the principal of causality that nothing begins without an adequate cause. And you get the conclusion that since there was a Big Bang, there must be a BigBanger.
For the complete script, visit https://www.prageru.com/videos/god-vs-atheism-which-more-rational

published:07 Apr 2014

views:522288

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out went Marx and Freud, and in came a rational, scientific approach to the way we see ourselves. At the vanguard of that revolution was Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist whose book The Selfish Gene changed the thinking not just of other scientists but of all of us, and propelled its author to intellectual stardom as the modern heir to Darwin.
To mark the 40th anniversary of The Selfish Gene and Dawkins’ 75th birthday, Intelligence Squared staged a global event, bringing together luminaries from the worlds of science, philosophy and culture to engage with Dawkins about his life and work. Steven Pinker, celebrated cognitive scientist, and Daniel Dennett, philosopher and fellow ‘New Atheist’, were beamed in live from America. On-stage guests included the illusionist Derren Brown, an avowed fan of Dawkins’ theories about the workings of the mind, the science writer Susan Blackmore, who has further developed some of Dawkins’ important ideas, and the acclaimed novelist and playwright Michael Frayn.
It was Dawkins’ understanding of the gene as the fundamental unit of natural selection that captured the popular imagination. It was Dawkins, too, who invented the word ‘meme’ to describe the cultural equivalent of a gene – an idea, belief or practice that replicates itself from person to person and is subject to the same selective pressures as genes – whether it’s an age-old religious practice or a modern fad such as the ice bucket challenge.
And on the subject of religion, the publication of The God Delusion a decade ago marked the moment when Dawkins became the patron saint of atheism. The book turned him into the world’s leading controversialist – hero-worshipped by atheists, demonised by believers. But throughout the hubbub of being the celebrity scientist and the non-believers’ poster boy, Dawkins continued his scientific studies at New College, Oxford, and in obscure corners across the world – where he honed the art of observing and writing beautifully about nature, conveying his sense of wonder at how organisms developed their complexity over the ages.

OliverWiertz, Sankt Georgen, Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology, FrankfurtQuestions to the movie: „Souls and Ashes”
Andy an investment banker, working by Deutsche Bank and Linda, a Yoga-teacher with a Christian background. Both are about to leave for their vacation to Mallorca, but Linda's grandmother died. Her last will: to have her ashes spread at her birthplace in Northern Italy. Andy doesn't want to shorten their vacation, he cannot understand what grandmothers will is all about. Because in the end there is nothing after dead. Linda is determined to fulfill the last wish. And she travels alone towards Italy. But she got sick during the trip – ending up in a hospital in Munich, which let Andy cancel his vacation. The good news: Linda's discovered tumor is not a deadly one. Thoughtfully they continue their journey to Italy.

published:31 May 2016

views:15

This was recorded in 1988. He also explains why some people who think that we should abandon science are wrong and how scientific worldview is the best.

Encyclopedia of Philosophy

The first edition of the encyclopedia was in eight volumes, edited by Paul Edwards, and published in 1967 by Macmillan; it was reprinted in four volumes in 1972.

A "Supplement" volume, edited by Donald M. Borchert, was added to the reprinted first edition in 1996, containing articles on developments in philosophy since 1967, covering new subjects and scholarship updates or new articles on those written about in the first edition.

A second edition, also edited by Borchert, was published in ten volumes in 2006 by Thomson Gale. Volumes 1–9 contain alphabetically ordered articles. Volume 10 consists of:

Appendix (pp.1–48), containing updates and additions to the articles in the preceding volumes;

Scientific method

The scientific method is a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry is commonly based on empirical or measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the scientific method as "a method or procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17th century, consisting in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses."

The scientific method is an ongoing process, which usually begins with observations about the natural world. Human beings are naturally inquisitive, so they often come up with questions about things they see or hear and often develop ideas (hypotheses) about why things are the way they are. The best hypotheses lead to predictions that can be tested in various ways, including making further observations about nature. In general, the strongest tests of hypotheses come from carefully controlled and replicated experiments that gather empirical data. Depending on how well the tests match the predictions, the original hypothesis may require refinement, alteration, expansion or even rejection. If a particular hypothesis becomes very well supported a general theory may be developed.

Runes published an English translation of Marx's On the Jewish Question under the title A World without Jews. Though this has often been considered the first translation of the work, a Soviet anti-zionist, propaganda version had existed a few years earlier, which was likely unknown to Runes. As the title of Rune's book sounded antisemitic, it had extremely limited circulation in the English-speaking world. Runes wrote an introduction to the translation that was clearly antagonistic to extreme Marxism, and 'its materialism,' as he would later often put it, yet he did not entirely negate Marxism. He also edited several works presenting the ideas and history of philosophy to a general audience, especially his Dictionary of Philosophy.

Realistic & Rational SCIENTIFIC AIKIDO

God vs. Atheism: Which is More Rational?

Belief in God, according to atheists, is irrational, illogical, and dumb. Belief that the universe created itself is, they say, intelligent, rational, and based in science. This is simply false. Nothing can create itself. Everything has a cause--including the universe. That cause, argues Peter Kreeft, professor of philosophy at Boston College, is God, the "unmoved mover." Belief in God, as Kreeft shows, is more rational than belief in nothing. Logic, science, and reason, support God. Atheism, as you'll see, is far more steeped in blind faith than is belief.
Donate today to PragerU! http://l.prageru.com/2ylo1Yt
Joining PragerU is free! Sign up now to get all our videos as soon as they're released. http://prageru.com/signup
Download Pragerpedia on your iPhone or Android! Thousands of sources and facts at your fingertips.
iPhone: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsnbG
Android: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsS5e
Join Prager United to get new swag every quarter, exclusive early access to our videos, and an annual TownHall phone call with Dennis Prager! http://l.prageru.com/2c9n6ys
Join PragerU's text list to have these videos, free merchandise giveaways and breaking announcements sent directly to your phone! https://optin.mobiniti.com/prageru
Do you shop on Amazon? Click https://smile.amazon.com and a percentage of every Amazon purchase will be donated to PragerU. Same great products. Same low price. Shopping made meaningful.
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FOLLOW us!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prageru
Twitter: https://twitter.com/prageru
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JOIN PragerFORCE!
For Students: http://l.prageru.com/29SgPaX
JOIN our Educators Network! http://l.prageru.com/2c8vsff
Script:
Is it rational to believe in God?
Many people think that faith and reason are opposites; that belief in God and tough-minded logical reasoning are like oil and water. They are wrong. Belief in God is far more rational than atheism.
Logic can show that there is a God. If you look at the universe with common sense and an open mind, you’ll find that it’s full of God’s fingerprints.
A good place to start is with an argument by Thomas Aquinas, the great 13th century philosopher and theologian.
The argument starts with the not very startling observation that things move. But nothing moves for no reason. Something must cause that movement. And whatever caused that, must be caused by something else, and so on. But this causal chain cannot go backwards forever. It must have a beginning. There must be an Unmoved Mover to begin all the motion in the universe: a first domino to start the whole chain moving, since mere matter never moves itself.
A modern objection to this argument is that some movements things in quantum mechanics -- radioactive decay, for example -- have no discernible cause, but hang on a second. Just because scientists don’t see a cause, doesn’t mean there isn’t one. It just means science hasn’t found it yet. Maybe some day they will. But then there will have to be a new cause to explain that one. And so on and so on. But science will never find the first cause. That’s no knock on science. It simply means that a first cause lies outside the realm of science.
Another way to explain this argument is that everything that begins must have a cause. Nothing can come from nothing. So if there is no first cause, there can’t be second causes. Or anything at all. In other words, if there’s no creator, there can’t be a universe.
But, what if the universe were infinitely old, you might ask? Well, all scientists today agree that the universe is not infinitely old, that it had a beginning in the Big Bang.
If the universe had a beginning, then it didn’t have to exist. And things which don’t have to exist, must have a cause.
There’s confirmation of this argument from Big Bang Cosmology. We now know that all matter, that is, the whole universe, came into existence some 13.7 billion years ago and it’s been expanding and cooling ever since. No scientist doubts that anymore, even though before it was scientifically proved, atheists called it “creationism in disguise.”
Now add to this premise, a very logical second premise -- the principal of causality that nothing begins without an adequate cause. And you get the conclusion that since there was a Big Bang, there must be a BigBanger.
For the complete script, visit https://www.prageru.com/videos/god-vs-atheism-which-more-rational

1:34:00

Richard Dawkins: The Rational Revolutionary

Richard Dawkins: The Rational Revolutionary

Richard Dawkins: The Rational Revolutionary

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out went Marx and Freud, and in came a rational, scientific approach to the way we see ourselves. At the vanguard of that revolution was Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist whose book The Selfish Gene changed the thinking not just of other scientists but of all of us, and propelled its author to intellectual stardom as the modern heir to Darwin.
To mark the 40th anniversary of The Selfish Gene and Dawkins’ 75th birthday, Intelligence Squared staged a global event, bringing together luminaries from the worlds of science, philosophy and culture to engage with Dawkins about his life and work. Steven Pinker, celebrated cognitive scientist, and Daniel Dennett, philosopher and fellow ‘New Atheist’, were beamed in live from America. On-stage guests included the illusionist Derren Brown, an avowed fan of Dawkins’ theories about the workings of the mind, the science writer Susan Blackmore, who has further developed some of Dawkins’ important ideas, and the acclaimed novelist and playwright Michael Frayn.
It was Dawkins’ understanding of the gene as the fundamental unit of natural selection that captured the popular imagination. It was Dawkins, too, who invented the word ‘meme’ to describe the cultural equivalent of a gene – an idea, belief or practice that replicates itself from person to person and is subject to the same selective pressures as genes – whether it’s an age-old religious practice or a modern fad such as the ice bucket challenge.
And on the subject of religion, the publication of The God Delusion a decade ago marked the moment when Dawkins became the patron saint of atheism. The book turned him into the world’s leading controversialist – hero-worshipped by atheists, demonised by believers. But throughout the hubbub of being the celebrity scientist and the non-believers’ poster boy, Dawkins continued his scientific studies at New College, Oxford, and in obscure corners across the world – where he honed the art of observing and writing beautifully about nature, conveying his sense of wonder at how organisms developed their complexity over the ages.

Scientific notation of the rational number

Living a rational life, there are just scientific explanations, aren't there? (Oliver Wiertz)

Living a rational life, there are just scientific explanations, aren't there? (Oliver Wiertz)

Living a rational life, there are just scientific explanations, aren't there? (Oliver Wiertz)

OliverWiertz, Sankt Georgen, Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology, FrankfurtQuestions to the movie: „Souls and Ashes”
Andy an investment banker, working by Deutsche Bank and Linda, a Yoga-teacher with a Christian background. Both are about to leave for their vacation to Mallorca, but Linda's grandmother died. Her last will: to have her ashes spread at her birthplace in Northern Italy. Andy doesn't want to shorten their vacation, he cannot understand what grandmothers will is all about. Because in the end there is nothing after dead. Linda is determined to fulfill the last wish. And she travels alone towards Italy. But she got sick during the trip – ending up in a hospital in Munich, which let Andy cancel his vacation. The good news: Linda's discovered tumor is not a deadly one. Thoughtfully they continue their journey to Italy.

Realistic & Rational SCIENTIFIC AIKIDO

God vs. Atheism: Which is More Rational?

Belief in God, according to atheists, is irrational, illogical, and dumb. Belief that the universe created itself is, they say, intelligent, rational, and based in science. This is simply false. Nothing can create itself. Everything has a cause--including the universe. That cause, argues Peter Kreeft, professor of philosophy at Boston College, is God, the "unmoved mover." Belief in God, as Kreeft shows, is more rational than belief in nothing. Logic, science, and reason, support God. Atheism, as you'll see, is far more steeped in blind faith than is belief.
Donate today to PragerU! http://l.prageru.com/2ylo1Yt
Joining PragerU is free! Sign up now to get all our videos as soon as they're released. http://prageru.com/signup
Download Pragerpedia on your iPhone or Android! Thousands of sourc...

published: 07 Apr 2014

Richard Dawkins: The Rational Revolutionary

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out went Marx and Freud, and in came a rational, scientific approach to the way we see ourselves. At the vanguard of that revolution was Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist whose book The Selfish Gene changed the thinking not just of other scientists but of all of us, and propelled its author to intellectual stardom as the modern heir to Darwin.
To mark the 40th anniversary of The Selfish Gene and Dawkins’ 75th birthday, Intelligence Squared staged a global event, bringing together luminaries from the worlds of science, philosophy and culture to engage with Dawkins about his life and work. Steven Pinker, celebrated cognitive scientist, and Daniel Dennett, philosopher and fellow ‘New Atheist’, were...

Scientific notation of the rational number

Living a rational life, there are just scientific explanations, aren't there? (Oliver Wiertz)

OliverWiertz, Sankt Georgen, Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology, FrankfurtQuestions to the movie: „Souls and Ashes”
Andy an investment banker, working by Deutsche Bank and Linda, a Yoga-teacher with a Christian background. Both are about to leave for their vacation to Mallorca, but Linda's grandmother died. Her last will: to have her ashes spread at her birthplace in Northern Italy. Andy doesn't want to shorten their vacation, he cannot understand what grandmothers will is all about. Because in the end there is nothing after dead. Linda is determined to fulfill the last wish. And she travels alone towards Italy. But she got sick during the trip – ending up in a hospital in Munich, which let Andy cancel his vacation. The good news: Linda's discovered tumor is not a deadly one. T...

God vs. Atheism: Which is More Rational?

Belief in God, according to atheists, is irrational, illogical, and dumb. Belief that the universe created itself is, they say, intelligent, rational, and based...

Belief in God, according to atheists, is irrational, illogical, and dumb. Belief that the universe created itself is, they say, intelligent, rational, and based in science. This is simply false. Nothing can create itself. Everything has a cause--including the universe. That cause, argues Peter Kreeft, professor of philosophy at Boston College, is God, the "unmoved mover." Belief in God, as Kreeft shows, is more rational than belief in nothing. Logic, science, and reason, support God. Atheism, as you'll see, is far more steeped in blind faith than is belief.
Donate today to PragerU! http://l.prageru.com/2ylo1Yt
Joining PragerU is free! Sign up now to get all our videos as soon as they're released. http://prageru.com/signup
Download Pragerpedia on your iPhone or Android! Thousands of sources and facts at your fingertips.
iPhone: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsnbG
Android: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsS5e
Join Prager United to get new swag every quarter, exclusive early access to our videos, and an annual TownHall phone call with Dennis Prager! http://l.prageru.com/2c9n6ys
Join PragerU's text list to have these videos, free merchandise giveaways and breaking announcements sent directly to your phone! https://optin.mobiniti.com/prageru
Do you shop on Amazon? Click https://smile.amazon.com and a percentage of every Amazon purchase will be donated to PragerU. Same great products. Same low price. Shopping made meaningful.
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FOLLOW us!
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JOIN PragerFORCE!
For Students: http://l.prageru.com/29SgPaX
JOIN our Educators Network! http://l.prageru.com/2c8vsff
Script:
Is it rational to believe in God?
Many people think that faith and reason are opposites; that belief in God and tough-minded logical reasoning are like oil and water. They are wrong. Belief in God is far more rational than atheism.
Logic can show that there is a God. If you look at the universe with common sense and an open mind, you’ll find that it’s full of God’s fingerprints.
A good place to start is with an argument by Thomas Aquinas, the great 13th century philosopher and theologian.
The argument starts with the not very startling observation that things move. But nothing moves for no reason. Something must cause that movement. And whatever caused that, must be caused by something else, and so on. But this causal chain cannot go backwards forever. It must have a beginning. There must be an Unmoved Mover to begin all the motion in the universe: a first domino to start the whole chain moving, since mere matter never moves itself.
A modern objection to this argument is that some movements things in quantum mechanics -- radioactive decay, for example -- have no discernible cause, but hang on a second. Just because scientists don’t see a cause, doesn’t mean there isn’t one. It just means science hasn’t found it yet. Maybe some day they will. But then there will have to be a new cause to explain that one. And so on and so on. But science will never find the first cause. That’s no knock on science. It simply means that a first cause lies outside the realm of science.
Another way to explain this argument is that everything that begins must have a cause. Nothing can come from nothing. So if there is no first cause, there can’t be second causes. Or anything at all. In other words, if there’s no creator, there can’t be a universe.
But, what if the universe were infinitely old, you might ask? Well, all scientists today agree that the universe is not infinitely old, that it had a beginning in the Big Bang.
If the universe had a beginning, then it didn’t have to exist. And things which don’t have to exist, must have a cause.
There’s confirmation of this argument from Big Bang Cosmology. We now know that all matter, that is, the whole universe, came into existence some 13.7 billion years ago and it’s been expanding and cooling ever since. No scientist doubts that anymore, even though before it was scientifically proved, atheists called it “creationism in disguise.”
Now add to this premise, a very logical second premise -- the principal of causality that nothing begins without an adequate cause. And you get the conclusion that since there was a Big Bang, there must be a BigBanger.
For the complete script, visit https://www.prageru.com/videos/god-vs-atheism-which-more-rational

Belief in God, according to atheists, is irrational, illogical, and dumb. Belief that the universe created itself is, they say, intelligent, rational, and based in science. This is simply false. Nothing can create itself. Everything has a cause--including the universe. That cause, argues Peter Kreeft, professor of philosophy at Boston College, is God, the "unmoved mover." Belief in God, as Kreeft shows, is more rational than belief in nothing. Logic, science, and reason, support God. Atheism, as you'll see, is far more steeped in blind faith than is belief.
Donate today to PragerU! http://l.prageru.com/2ylo1Yt
Joining PragerU is free! Sign up now to get all our videos as soon as they're released. http://prageru.com/signup
Download Pragerpedia on your iPhone or Android! Thousands of sources and facts at your fingertips.
iPhone: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsnbG
Android: http://l.prageru.com/2dlsS5e
Join Prager United to get new swag every quarter, exclusive early access to our videos, and an annual TownHall phone call with Dennis Prager! http://l.prageru.com/2c9n6ys
Join PragerU's text list to have these videos, free merchandise giveaways and breaking announcements sent directly to your phone! https://optin.mobiniti.com/prageru
Do you shop on Amazon? Click https://smile.amazon.com and a percentage of every Amazon purchase will be donated to PragerU. Same great products. Same low price. Shopping made meaningful.
VISIT PragerU! https://www.prageru.com
FOLLOW us!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prageru
Twitter: https://twitter.com/prageru
Instagram: https://instagram.com/prageru/
PragerU is on Snapchat!
JOIN PragerFORCE!
For Students: http://l.prageru.com/29SgPaX
JOIN our Educators Network! http://l.prageru.com/2c8vsff
Script:
Is it rational to believe in God?
Many people think that faith and reason are opposites; that belief in God and tough-minded logical reasoning are like oil and water. They are wrong. Belief in God is far more rational than atheism.
Logic can show that there is a God. If you look at the universe with common sense and an open mind, you’ll find that it’s full of God’s fingerprints.
A good place to start is with an argument by Thomas Aquinas, the great 13th century philosopher and theologian.
The argument starts with the not very startling observation that things move. But nothing moves for no reason. Something must cause that movement. And whatever caused that, must be caused by something else, and so on. But this causal chain cannot go backwards forever. It must have a beginning. There must be an Unmoved Mover to begin all the motion in the universe: a first domino to start the whole chain moving, since mere matter never moves itself.
A modern objection to this argument is that some movements things in quantum mechanics -- radioactive decay, for example -- have no discernible cause, but hang on a second. Just because scientists don’t see a cause, doesn’t mean there isn’t one. It just means science hasn’t found it yet. Maybe some day they will. But then there will have to be a new cause to explain that one. And so on and so on. But science will never find the first cause. That’s no knock on science. It simply means that a first cause lies outside the realm of science.
Another way to explain this argument is that everything that begins must have a cause. Nothing can come from nothing. So if there is no first cause, there can’t be second causes. Or anything at all. In other words, if there’s no creator, there can’t be a universe.
But, what if the universe were infinitely old, you might ask? Well, all scientists today agree that the universe is not infinitely old, that it had a beginning in the Big Bang.
If the universe had a beginning, then it didn’t have to exist. And things which don’t have to exist, must have a cause.
There’s confirmation of this argument from Big Bang Cosmology. We now know that all matter, that is, the whole universe, came into existence some 13.7 billion years ago and it’s been expanding and cooling ever since. No scientist doubts that anymore, even though before it was scientifically proved, atheists called it “creationism in disguise.”
Now add to this premise, a very logical second premise -- the principal of causality that nothing begins without an adequate cause. And you get the conclusion that since there was a Big Bang, there must be a BigBanger.
For the complete script, visit https://www.prageru.com/videos/god-vs-atheism-which-more-rational

Richard Dawkins: The Rational Revolutionary

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out went Marx and Freud, and in came a rational, scientific approach to the...

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out went Marx and Freud, and in came a rational, scientific approach to the way we see ourselves. At the vanguard of that revolution was Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist whose book The Selfish Gene changed the thinking not just of other scientists but of all of us, and propelled its author to intellectual stardom as the modern heir to Darwin.
To mark the 40th anniversary of The Selfish Gene and Dawkins’ 75th birthday, Intelligence Squared staged a global event, bringing together luminaries from the worlds of science, philosophy and culture to engage with Dawkins about his life and work. Steven Pinker, celebrated cognitive scientist, and Daniel Dennett, philosopher and fellow ‘New Atheist’, were beamed in live from America. On-stage guests included the illusionist Derren Brown, an avowed fan of Dawkins’ theories about the workings of the mind, the science writer Susan Blackmore, who has further developed some of Dawkins’ important ideas, and the acclaimed novelist and playwright Michael Frayn.
It was Dawkins’ understanding of the gene as the fundamental unit of natural selection that captured the popular imagination. It was Dawkins, too, who invented the word ‘meme’ to describe the cultural equivalent of a gene – an idea, belief or practice that replicates itself from person to person and is subject to the same selective pressures as genes – whether it’s an age-old religious practice or a modern fad such as the ice bucket challenge.
And on the subject of religion, the publication of The God Delusion a decade ago marked the moment when Dawkins became the patron saint of atheism. The book turned him into the world’s leading controversialist – hero-worshipped by atheists, demonised by believers. But throughout the hubbub of being the celebrity scientist and the non-believers’ poster boy, Dawkins continued his scientific studies at New College, Oxford, and in obscure corners across the world – where he honed the art of observing and writing beautifully about nature, conveying his sense of wonder at how organisms developed their complexity over the ages.

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out went Marx and Freud, and in came a rational, scientific approach to the way we see ourselves. At the vanguard of that revolution was Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist whose book The Selfish Gene changed the thinking not just of other scientists but of all of us, and propelled its author to intellectual stardom as the modern heir to Darwin.
To mark the 40th anniversary of The Selfish Gene and Dawkins’ 75th birthday, Intelligence Squared staged a global event, bringing together luminaries from the worlds of science, philosophy and culture to engage with Dawkins about his life and work. Steven Pinker, celebrated cognitive scientist, and Daniel Dennett, philosopher and fellow ‘New Atheist’, were beamed in live from America. On-stage guests included the illusionist Derren Brown, an avowed fan of Dawkins’ theories about the workings of the mind, the science writer Susan Blackmore, who has further developed some of Dawkins’ important ideas, and the acclaimed novelist and playwright Michael Frayn.
It was Dawkins’ understanding of the gene as the fundamental unit of natural selection that captured the popular imagination. It was Dawkins, too, who invented the word ‘meme’ to describe the cultural equivalent of a gene – an idea, belief or practice that replicates itself from person to person and is subject to the same selective pressures as genes – whether it’s an age-old religious practice or a modern fad such as the ice bucket challenge.
And on the subject of religion, the publication of The God Delusion a decade ago marked the moment when Dawkins became the patron saint of atheism. The book turned him into the world’s leading controversialist – hero-worshipped by atheists, demonised by believers. But throughout the hubbub of being the celebrity scientist and the non-believers’ poster boy, Dawkins continued his scientific studies at New College, Oxford, and in obscure corners across the world – where he honed the art of observing and writing beautifully about nature, conveying his sense of wonder at how organisms developed their complexity over the ages.

OliverWiertz, Sankt Georgen, Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology, FrankfurtQuestions to the movie: „Souls and Ashes”
Andy an investment banker, working by Deutsche Bank and Linda, a Yoga-teacher with a Christian background. Both are about to leave for their vacation to Mallorca, but Linda's grandmother died. Her last will: to have her ashes spread at her birthplace in Northern Italy. Andy doesn't want to shorten their vacation, he cannot understand what grandmothers will is all about. Because in the end there is nothing after dead. Linda is determined to fulfill the last wish. And she travels alone towards Italy. But she got sick during the trip – ending up in a hospital in Munich, which let Andy cancel his vacation. The good news: Linda's discovered tumor is not a deadly one. Thoughtfully they continue their journey to Italy.

OliverWiertz, Sankt Georgen, Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology, FrankfurtQuestions to the movie: „Souls and Ashes”
Andy an investment banker, working by Deutsche Bank and Linda, a Yoga-teacher with a Christian background. Both are about to leave for their vacation to Mallorca, but Linda's grandmother died. Her last will: to have her ashes spread at her birthplace in Northern Italy. Andy doesn't want to shorten their vacation, he cannot understand what grandmothers will is all about. Because in the end there is nothing after dead. Linda is determined to fulfill the last wish. And she travels alone towards Italy. But she got sick during the trip – ending up in a hospital in Munich, which let Andy cancel his vacation. The good news: Linda's discovered tumor is not a deadly one. Thoughtfully they continue their journey to Italy.

Richard Dawkins: The Rational Revolutionary

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out went Marx and Freud, and in came a rational, scientific approach to the way we see ourselves. At the vanguard of that revolution was Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist whose book The Selfish Gene changed the thinking not just of other scientists but of all of us, and propelled its author to intellectual stardom as the modern heir to Darwin.
To mark the 40th anniversary of The Selfish Gene and Dawkins’ 75th birthday, Intelligence Squared staged a global event, bringing together luminaries from the worlds of science, philosophy and culture to engage with Dawkins about his life and work. Steven Pinker, celebrated cognitive scientist, and Daniel Dennett, philosopher and fellow ‘New Atheist’, were...

The Irrationality Of Modern Physics

We are in the midst of a spiritual revolution. In this video, Michael Mamas discusses the current spiritual revolution, and introduces the answer it demands. Long ago, rationality became divorced from spirituality, and now spirituality doesn't make sense. So people tend to dismiss spirituality all together, but what we really long for is a spirituality that makes sense. This rational understanding is attainable, and the path to get there is available to those who seek to pursue it.
Some physicists are 'discovering' the unified field, that level on which we are all one, and realizing that it is indeed Consciousness. This was known in ancient India, but the Knowledge has been lost today. Knowledge is structured in Consciousness. As our consciousness evolves, our knowledge changes. Knowledge...

published: 27 Jan 2017

Rational Approach To Divine Origin of Judaism

http://www.simpletoremember.com/ Is there a rational basis to believe that Judaism is true? In this lecture, Lawrence Kelemen presents a rational approach to the Divine origin of Judaism. You will find out the one unique claim that Judaism makes that no other religion in history has made.
Lawrence Kelemen graduated UCLA and did graduate studies at Harvard. In university he came up with a formula to demolish any religion. When he applied that formula to Judaism - the formula fell apart. You are about to learn why that is so and why Judaism is real. Enjoy "The Origins of Judaism"!
גישה רציונלית למקור השמיימי של היהדות
Approche rationnelle de l'origine divine du Judaïsme
El enfoque racional al origen divino del Judaísmo
For more info check out:
http://bit.ly/koZcDk
Unbroken chain of Jew...

Being an atheist doesn't necessarily mean you're rational

published: 22 Feb 2016

Matt Ridley -- The Rational Optimist

A former science and technology editor for The Economist magazine, Matt Ridley is a journalist and best-selling author whose books include Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters. His most recent book is The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves.
Matt Ridley discusses the evolutionary process of "ideas having sex," calling it the secret behind human progress. He asserts that "barter was the trick that changed the world" and outlines his argument that life for the average human being is richer, healthier, and kinder than ever. Finally, he discusses whether limited government and rational optimism go hand in hand.

published: 08 Dec 2010

Introduction to the Rope Hypothesis and Thread Theory

The basics

published: 15 Mar 2017

Andrew Lo: II: Bounded rationality

In the second of his lectures for Saïd Business School, Andrew Lo uses research from the fields of biology and neuroscience to explore "bounded rationality," i.e. processes and limitations of human decision-making. He refers to neuro-scientific research into split brain patients to show how different parts of the brain interact to form decision-making processes. He shows how we use the left part of our brain to create "narratives" that explain decision-making processes taking place in the right brain, demonstrating how human beings will choose the narrative that confers the best advantage in terms of survival via natural selection. His lecture provides an interesting insight into the potential limitations of complex economic decision-making.

published: 19 Jun 2013

Evolution Is Not Science Nor Rational

published: 01 Jan 2016

Paul Bloom: Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion

We often think that empathy, our capacity "to feel someone's pain," is the ultimate source of goodness. Nothing could be farther from the truth, argues psychology professor Paul Bloom. Scientific studies show that empathy is a capricious and irrational emotion that can cloud people's judgement and even lead to violence and cruelty.
For full transcript and audio from this talk, please go to: http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/studio/multimedia/20161214/index.html

Science, Science Journalism, and Civility In a Post-Rational Age

Richard Dawkins: The Rational Revolutionary

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out went Marx and Freud, and in came a rational, scientific approach to the...

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out went Marx and Freud, and in came a rational, scientific approach to the way we see ourselves. At the vanguard of that revolution was Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist whose book The Selfish Gene changed the thinking not just of other scientists but of all of us, and propelled its author to intellectual stardom as the modern heir to Darwin.
To mark the 40th anniversary of The Selfish Gene and Dawkins’ 75th birthday, Intelligence Squared staged a global event, bringing together luminaries from the worlds of science, philosophy and culture to engage with Dawkins about his life and work. Steven Pinker, celebrated cognitive scientist, and Daniel Dennett, philosopher and fellow ‘New Atheist’, were beamed in live from America. On-stage guests included the illusionist Derren Brown, an avowed fan of Dawkins’ theories about the workings of the mind, the science writer Susan Blackmore, who has further developed some of Dawkins’ important ideas, and the acclaimed novelist and playwright Michael Frayn.
It was Dawkins’ understanding of the gene as the fundamental unit of natural selection that captured the popular imagination. It was Dawkins, too, who invented the word ‘meme’ to describe the cultural equivalent of a gene – an idea, belief or practice that replicates itself from person to person and is subject to the same selective pressures as genes – whether it’s an age-old religious practice or a modern fad such as the ice bucket challenge.
And on the subject of religion, the publication of The God Delusion a decade ago marked the moment when Dawkins became the patron saint of atheism. The book turned him into the world’s leading controversialist – hero-worshipped by atheists, demonised by believers. But throughout the hubbub of being the celebrity scientist and the non-believers’ poster boy, Dawkins continued his scientific studies at New College, Oxford, and in obscure corners across the world – where he honed the art of observing and writing beautifully about nature, conveying his sense of wonder at how organisms developed their complexity over the ages.

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out went Marx and Freud, and in came a rational, scientific approach to the way we see ourselves. At the vanguard of that revolution was Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist whose book The Selfish Gene changed the thinking not just of other scientists but of all of us, and propelled its author to intellectual stardom as the modern heir to Darwin.
To mark the 40th anniversary of The Selfish Gene and Dawkins’ 75th birthday, Intelligence Squared staged a global event, bringing together luminaries from the worlds of science, philosophy and culture to engage with Dawkins about his life and work. Steven Pinker, celebrated cognitive scientist, and Daniel Dennett, philosopher and fellow ‘New Atheist’, were beamed in live from America. On-stage guests included the illusionist Derren Brown, an avowed fan of Dawkins’ theories about the workings of the mind, the science writer Susan Blackmore, who has further developed some of Dawkins’ important ideas, and the acclaimed novelist and playwright Michael Frayn.
It was Dawkins’ understanding of the gene as the fundamental unit of natural selection that captured the popular imagination. It was Dawkins, too, who invented the word ‘meme’ to describe the cultural equivalent of a gene – an idea, belief or practice that replicates itself from person to person and is subject to the same selective pressures as genes – whether it’s an age-old religious practice or a modern fad such as the ice bucket challenge.
And on the subject of religion, the publication of The God Delusion a decade ago marked the moment when Dawkins became the patron saint of atheism. The book turned him into the world’s leading controversialist – hero-worshipped by atheists, demonised by believers. But throughout the hubbub of being the celebrity scientist and the non-believers’ poster boy, Dawkins continued his scientific studies at New College, Oxford, and in obscure corners across the world – where he honed the art of observing and writing beautifully about nature, conveying his sense of wonder at how organisms developed their complexity over the ages.

We are in the midst of a spiritual revolution. In this video, Michael Mamas discusses the current spiritual revolution, and introduces the answer it demands. Lo...

We are in the midst of a spiritual revolution. In this video, Michael Mamas discusses the current spiritual revolution, and introduces the answer it demands. Long ago, rationality became divorced from spirituality, and now spirituality doesn't make sense. So people tend to dismiss spirituality all together, but what we really long for is a spirituality that makes sense. This rational understanding is attainable, and the path to get there is available to those who seek to pursue it.
Some physicists are 'discovering' the unified field, that level on which we are all one, and realizing that it is indeed Consciousness. This was known in ancient India, but the Knowledge has been lost today. Knowledge is structured in Consciousness. As our consciousness evolves, our knowledge changes. Knowledge of the same thing becomes something different because our consciousness has shifted. When an individual really grasps that they can evolve their level of consciousness, they make a huge step forward in their spiritual growth and their development as a human being. Throughout history, there have been a number of individuals who have lived an exalted level of life, a very high level of consciousness. In ancient India, they were called Rishis, and they spoke out the Knowledge in its purity. But when the Master speaks, it immediately ceases to be what the Master said and becomes what the listener heard. The listener hears in terms of their own level of consciousness. The listeners passed it on from generation to generation, and the Knowledge got lost over time. Real spiritual Knowledge is subtle and elusive.
The mentality that has essentially taken over the globe is a Western mentality: the rational, scientific approach. That rational, scientific approach looked at spirituality and rejected it because it didn't make sense. Deep inside, in that place where we are one with everything, our core, we sense something. We all sense a commonality, a connection, between all people. That commonality is our source of common sense. We sense that one thing that is who we are in our essential nature and is sacred and is common to all people and all things. As our common sense refines, it becomes wisdom.
As our awareness becomes more evolved and refined, the understanding of life and existence becomes something that was unimaginable – it encompasses all aspects of life. It rearranges the totality of all aspects of life, all fields of knowledge. Everything is transformed. As we clear our windows of perception, faith becomes Knowledge. It fulfills the heart, but also makes sense.
There is one Consciousness, one unified field. The difference between you and I is that we have a different relationship with that one Consciousness. It's your consciousness, it's my consciousness. We all share the same one consciousness, but we all process it differently through our own brain, physiology, relationship with it. We truly are one and that is physics. It is also spirituality.
As we evolve as people, we live more in harmony with that one thing. In so doing, we live more in harmony with Nature. The most powerful way to culture our awareness and evolve is proper meditation. With proper meditation, the awareness rests naturally into its deepest, purest state, which is the field of Oneness, pure Consciousness.
Learn to Meditate from Michael Mamas:
http://www.rationalspirituality.org/meditation/learn-to-meditate/
Related Michael Mamas videos:
* Science & Spirituality: The Fate of Pure Knowledge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDDtN6IAhN4
* Science & Spirituality: Reviving the Knowledge of Religion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toEqzre_zj4
* It's Gotta Make Sense: Where Does Knowledge Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n17eLRifVg
* Fundamental Principle #2: The Unified Field https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP86Syx6IPE
Related Michael Mamas blogs:
* What isTruth? http://www.michaelmamas.net/what-is-truth/
* More on the Experience of Oneness http://www.michaelmamas.net/more-on-the-experience-of-oneness/
* Echoes http://www.michaelmamas.net/echoes/
* How to get Enlightened http://www.michaelmamas.net/how-to-get-enlightened/
Related Michael Mamas articles:
* What Does it Mean to be Human? http://www.rationalspirituality.org/michael-mamas-wisdom/articles/what-does-it-mean-to-be-human/
* What is True Knowledge? http://www.rationalspirituality.org/michael-mamas-wisdom/articles/true-knowledge/
* The Big Bang Theory – A New Perspective http://www.rationalspirituality.org/michael-mamas-wisdom/articles/big-bang/
Related Michael Mamas book:
*UnconditionedSpirit http://www.mountsoma.org/product/unconditioned-spirit/

We are in the midst of a spiritual revolution. In this video, Michael Mamas discusses the current spiritual revolution, and introduces the answer it demands. Long ago, rationality became divorced from spirituality, and now spirituality doesn't make sense. So people tend to dismiss spirituality all together, but what we really long for is a spirituality that makes sense. This rational understanding is attainable, and the path to get there is available to those who seek to pursue it.
Some physicists are 'discovering' the unified field, that level on which we are all one, and realizing that it is indeed Consciousness. This was known in ancient India, but the Knowledge has been lost today. Knowledge is structured in Consciousness. As our consciousness evolves, our knowledge changes. Knowledge of the same thing becomes something different because our consciousness has shifted. When an individual really grasps that they can evolve their level of consciousness, they make a huge step forward in their spiritual growth and their development as a human being. Throughout history, there have been a number of individuals who have lived an exalted level of life, a very high level of consciousness. In ancient India, they were called Rishis, and they spoke out the Knowledge in its purity. But when the Master speaks, it immediately ceases to be what the Master said and becomes what the listener heard. The listener hears in terms of their own level of consciousness. The listeners passed it on from generation to generation, and the Knowledge got lost over time. Real spiritual Knowledge is subtle and elusive.
The mentality that has essentially taken over the globe is a Western mentality: the rational, scientific approach. That rational, scientific approach looked at spirituality and rejected it because it didn't make sense. Deep inside, in that place where we are one with everything, our core, we sense something. We all sense a commonality, a connection, between all people. That commonality is our source of common sense. We sense that one thing that is who we are in our essential nature and is sacred and is common to all people and all things. As our common sense refines, it becomes wisdom.
As our awareness becomes more evolved and refined, the understanding of life and existence becomes something that was unimaginable – it encompasses all aspects of life. It rearranges the totality of all aspects of life, all fields of knowledge. Everything is transformed. As we clear our windows of perception, faith becomes Knowledge. It fulfills the heart, but also makes sense.
There is one Consciousness, one unified field. The difference between you and I is that we have a different relationship with that one Consciousness. It's your consciousness, it's my consciousness. We all share the same one consciousness, but we all process it differently through our own brain, physiology, relationship with it. We truly are one and that is physics. It is also spirituality.
As we evolve as people, we live more in harmony with that one thing. In so doing, we live more in harmony with Nature. The most powerful way to culture our awareness and evolve is proper meditation. With proper meditation, the awareness rests naturally into its deepest, purest state, which is the field of Oneness, pure Consciousness.
Learn to Meditate from Michael Mamas:
http://www.rationalspirituality.org/meditation/learn-to-meditate/
Related Michael Mamas videos:
* Science & Spirituality: The Fate of Pure Knowledge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDDtN6IAhN4
* Science & Spirituality: Reviving the Knowledge of Religion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toEqzre_zj4
* It's Gotta Make Sense: Where Does Knowledge Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n17eLRifVg
* Fundamental Principle #2: The Unified Field https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP86Syx6IPE
Related Michael Mamas blogs:
* What isTruth? http://www.michaelmamas.net/what-is-truth/
* More on the Experience of Oneness http://www.michaelmamas.net/more-on-the-experience-of-oneness/
* Echoes http://www.michaelmamas.net/echoes/
* How to get Enlightened http://www.michaelmamas.net/how-to-get-enlightened/
Related Michael Mamas articles:
* What Does it Mean to be Human? http://www.rationalspirituality.org/michael-mamas-wisdom/articles/what-does-it-mean-to-be-human/
* What is True Knowledge? http://www.rationalspirituality.org/michael-mamas-wisdom/articles/true-knowledge/
* The Big Bang Theory – A New Perspective http://www.rationalspirituality.org/michael-mamas-wisdom/articles/big-bang/
Related Michael Mamas book:
*UnconditionedSpirit http://www.mountsoma.org/product/unconditioned-spirit/

Rational Approach To Divine Origin of Judaism

http://www.simpletoremember.com/ Is there a rational basis to believe that Judaism is true? In this lecture, Lawrence Kelemen presents a rational approach to th...

http://www.simpletoremember.com/ Is there a rational basis to believe that Judaism is true? In this lecture, Lawrence Kelemen presents a rational approach to the Divine origin of Judaism. You will find out the one unique claim that Judaism makes that no other religion in history has made.
Lawrence Kelemen graduated UCLA and did graduate studies at Harvard. In university he came up with a formula to demolish any religion. When he applied that formula to Judaism - the formula fell apart. You are about to learn why that is so and why Judaism is real. Enjoy "The Origins of Judaism"!
גישה רציונלית למקור השמיימי של היהדות
Approche rationnelle de l'origine divine du Judaïsme
El enfoque racional al origen divino del Judaísmo
For more info check out:
http://bit.ly/koZcDk
Unbroken chain of Jewish tradition: https://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/unbroken-jewish-tradition.htm
Mp3 version of this:
http://j.mp/bWC03Z

http://www.simpletoremember.com/ Is there a rational basis to believe that Judaism is true? In this lecture, Lawrence Kelemen presents a rational approach to the Divine origin of Judaism. You will find out the one unique claim that Judaism makes that no other religion in history has made.
Lawrence Kelemen graduated UCLA and did graduate studies at Harvard. In university he came up with a formula to demolish any religion. When he applied that formula to Judaism - the formula fell apart. You are about to learn why that is so and why Judaism is real. Enjoy "The Origins of Judaism"!
גישה רציונלית למקור השמיימי של היהדות
Approche rationnelle de l'origine divine du Judaïsme
El enfoque racional al origen divino del Judaísmo
For more info check out:
http://bit.ly/koZcDk
Unbroken chain of Jewish tradition: https://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/unbroken-jewish-tradition.htm
Mp3 version of this:
http://j.mp/bWC03Z

A former science and technology editor for The Economist magazine, Matt Ridley is a journalist and best-selling author whose books include Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters. His most recent book is The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves.
Matt Ridley discusses the evolutionary process of "ideas having sex," calling it the secret behind human progress. He asserts that "barter was the trick that changed the world" and outlines his argument that life for the average human being is richer, healthier, and kinder than ever. Finally, he discusses whether limited government and rational optimism go hand in hand.

A former science and technology editor for The Economist magazine, Matt Ridley is a journalist and best-selling author whose books include Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters. His most recent book is The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves.
Matt Ridley discusses the evolutionary process of "ideas having sex," calling it the secret behind human progress. He asserts that "barter was the trick that changed the world" and outlines his argument that life for the average human being is richer, healthier, and kinder than ever. Finally, he discusses whether limited government and rational optimism go hand in hand.

Andrew Lo: II: Bounded rationality

In the second of his lectures for Saïd Business School, Andrew Lo uses research from the fields of biology and neuroscience to explore "bounded rationality," i....

In the second of his lectures for Saïd Business School, Andrew Lo uses research from the fields of biology and neuroscience to explore "bounded rationality," i.e. processes and limitations of human decision-making. He refers to neuro-scientific research into split brain patients to show how different parts of the brain interact to form decision-making processes. He shows how we use the left part of our brain to create "narratives" that explain decision-making processes taking place in the right brain, demonstrating how human beings will choose the narrative that confers the best advantage in terms of survival via natural selection. His lecture provides an interesting insight into the potential limitations of complex economic decision-making.

In the second of his lectures for Saïd Business School, Andrew Lo uses research from the fields of biology and neuroscience to explore "bounded rationality," i.e. processes and limitations of human decision-making. He refers to neuro-scientific research into split brain patients to show how different parts of the brain interact to form decision-making processes. He shows how we use the left part of our brain to create "narratives" that explain decision-making processes taking place in the right brain, demonstrating how human beings will choose the narrative that confers the best advantage in terms of survival via natural selection. His lecture provides an interesting insight into the potential limitations of complex economic decision-making.

Paul Bloom: Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion

We often think that empathy, our capacity "to feel someone's pain," is the ultimate source of goodness. Nothing could be farther from the truth, argues psycholo...

We often think that empathy, our capacity "to feel someone's pain," is the ultimate source of goodness. Nothing could be farther from the truth, argues psychology professor Paul Bloom. Scientific studies show that empathy is a capricious and irrational emotion that can cloud people's judgement and even lead to violence and cruelty.
For full transcript and audio from this talk, please go to: http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/studio/multimedia/20161214/index.html

We often think that empathy, our capacity "to feel someone's pain," is the ultimate source of goodness. Nothing could be farther from the truth, argues psychology professor Paul Bloom. Scientific studies show that empathy is a capricious and irrational emotion that can cloud people's judgement and even lead to violence and cruelty.
For full transcript and audio from this talk, please go to: http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/studio/multimedia/20161214/index.html

God vs. Atheism: Which is More Rational?

Belief in God, according to atheists, is irrational, illogical, and dumb. Belief that the universe created itself is, they say, intelligent, rational, and based in science. This is simply false. Nothing can create itself. Everything has a cause--including the universe. That cause, argues Peter Kreeft, professor of philosophy at Boston College, is God, the "unmoved mover." Belief in God, as Kreeft shows, is more rational than belief in nothing. Logic, science, and reason, support God. Atheism, as you'll see, is far more steeped in blind faith than is belief.
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Script:
Is it rational to believe in God?
Many people think that faith and reason are opposites; that belief in God and tough-minded logical reasoning are like oil and water. They are wrong. Belief in God is far more rational than atheism.
Logic can show that there is a God. If you look at the universe with common sense and an open mind, you’ll find that it’s full of God’s fingerprints.
A good place to start is with an argument by Thomas Aquinas, the great 13th century philosopher and theologian.
The argument starts with the not very startling observation that things move. But nothing moves for no reason. Something must cause that movement. And whatever caused that, must be caused by something else, and so on. But this causal chain cannot go backwards forever. It must have a beginning. There must be an Unmoved Mover to begin all the motion in the universe: a first domino to start the whole chain moving, since mere matter never moves itself.
A modern objection to this argument is that some movements things in quantum mechanics -- radioactive decay, for example -- have no discernible cause, but hang on a second. Just because scientists don’t see a cause, doesn’t mean there isn’t one. It just means science hasn’t found it yet. Maybe some day they will. But then there will have to be a new cause to explain that one. And so on and so on. But science will never find the first cause. That’s no knock on science. It simply means that a first cause lies outside the realm of science.
Another way to explain this argument is that everything that begins must have a cause. Nothing can come from nothing. So if there is no first cause, there can’t be second causes. Or anything at all. In other words, if there’s no creator, there can’t be a universe.
But, what if the universe were infinitely old, you might ask? Well, all scientists today agree that the universe is not infinitely old, that it had a beginning in the Big Bang.
If the universe had a beginning, then it didn’t have to exist. And things which don’t have to exist, must have a cause.
There’s confirmation of this argument from Big Bang Cosmology. We now know that all matter, that is, the whole universe, came into existence some 13.7 billion years ago and it’s been expanding and cooling ever since. No scientist doubts that anymore, even though before it was scientifically proved, atheists called it “creationism in disguise.”
Now add to this premise, a very logical second premise -- the principal of causality that nothing begins without an adequate cause. And you get the conclusion that since there was a Big Bang, there must be a BigBanger.
For the complete script, visit https://www.prageru.com/videos/god-vs-atheism-which-more-rational

1:34:00

Richard Dawkins: The Rational Revolutionary

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out w...

Richard Dawkins: The Rational Revolutionary

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out went Marx and Freud, and in came a rational, scientific approach to the way we see ourselves. At the vanguard of that revolution was Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist whose book The Selfish Gene changed the thinking not just of other scientists but of all of us, and propelled its author to intellectual stardom as the modern heir to Darwin.
To mark the 40th anniversary of The Selfish Gene and Dawkins’ 75th birthday, Intelligence Squared staged a global event, bringing together luminaries from the worlds of science, philosophy and culture to engage with Dawkins about his life and work. Steven Pinker, celebrated cognitive scientist, and Daniel Dennett, philosopher and fellow ‘New Atheist’, were beamed in live from America. On-stage guests included the illusionist Derren Brown, an avowed fan of Dawkins’ theories about the workings of the mind, the science writer Susan Blackmore, who has further developed some of Dawkins’ important ideas, and the acclaimed novelist and playwright Michael Frayn.
It was Dawkins’ understanding of the gene as the fundamental unit of natural selection that captured the popular imagination. It was Dawkins, too, who invented the word ‘meme’ to describe the cultural equivalent of a gene – an idea, belief or practice that replicates itself from person to person and is subject to the same selective pressures as genes – whether it’s an age-old religious practice or a modern fad such as the ice bucket challenge.
And on the subject of religion, the publication of The God Delusion a decade ago marked the moment when Dawkins became the patron saint of atheism. The book turned him into the world’s leading controversialist – hero-worshipped by atheists, demonised by believers. But throughout the hubbub of being the celebrity scientist and the non-believers’ poster boy, Dawkins continued his scientific studies at New College, Oxford, and in obscure corners across the world – where he honed the art of observing and writing beautifully about nature, conveying his sense of wonder at how organisms developed their complexity over the ages.

Living a rational life, there are just scientific explanations, aren't there? (Oliver Wiertz)

OliverWiertz, Sankt Georgen, Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology, FrankfurtQuestions to the movie: „Souls and Ashes”
Andy an investment banker, working by Deutsche Bank and Linda, a Yoga-teacher with a Christian background. Both are about to leave for their vacation to Mallorca, but Linda's grandmother died. Her last will: to have her ashes spread at her birthplace in Northern Italy. Andy doesn't want to shorten their vacation, he cannot understand what grandmothers will is all about. Because in the end there is nothing after dead. Linda is determined to fulfill the last wish. And she travels alone towards Italy. But she got sick during the trip – ending up in a hospital in Munich, which let Andy cancel his vacation. The good news: Linda's discovered tumor is not a deadly one. Thoughtfully they continue their journey to Italy.

Richard Dawkins: The Rational Revolutionary

In the 1960s and 70s, a revolution took place in the way we understand human nature. Out went Marx and Freud, and in came a rational, scientific approach to the way we see ourselves. At the vanguard of that revolution was Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist whose book The Selfish Gene changed the thinking not just of other scientists but of all of us, and propelled its author to intellectual stardom as the modern heir to Darwin.
To mark the 40th anniversary of The Selfish Gene and Dawkins’ 75th birthday, Intelligence Squared staged a global event, bringing together luminaries from the worlds of science, philosophy and culture to engage with Dawkins about his life and work. Steven Pinker, celebrated cognitive scientist, and Daniel Dennett, philosopher and fellow ‘New Atheist’, were beamed in live from America. On-stage guests included the illusionist Derren Brown, an avowed fan of Dawkins’ theories about the workings of the mind, the science writer Susan Blackmore, who has further developed some of Dawkins’ important ideas, and the acclaimed novelist and playwright Michael Frayn.
It was Dawkins’ understanding of the gene as the fundamental unit of natural selection that captured the popular imagination. It was Dawkins, too, who invented the word ‘meme’ to describe the cultural equivalent of a gene – an idea, belief or practice that replicates itself from person to person and is subject to the same selective pressures as genes – whether it’s an age-old religious practice or a modern fad such as the ice bucket challenge.
And on the subject of religion, the publication of The God Delusion a decade ago marked the moment when Dawkins became the patron saint of atheism. The book turned him into the world’s leading controversialist – hero-worshipped by atheists, demonised by believers. But throughout the hubbub of being the celebrity scientist and the non-believers’ poster boy, Dawkins continued his scientific studies at New College, Oxford, and in obscure corners across the world – where he honed the art of observing and writing beautifully about nature, conveying his sense of wonder at how organisms developed their complexity over the ages.

We are in the midst of a spiritual revolution. In this video, Michael Mamas discusses the current spiritual revolution, and introduces the answer it demands. Long ago, rationality became divorced from spirituality, and now spirituality doesn't make sense. So people tend to dismiss spirituality all together, but what we really long for is a spirituality that makes sense. This rational understanding is attainable, and the path to get there is available to those who seek to pursue it.
Some physicists are 'discovering' the unified field, that level on which we are all one, and realizing that it is indeed Consciousness. This was known in ancient India, but the Knowledge has been lost today. Knowledge is structured in Consciousness. As our consciousness evolves, our knowledge changes. Knowledge of the same thing becomes something different because our consciousness has shifted. When an individual really grasps that they can evolve their level of consciousness, they make a huge step forward in their spiritual growth and their development as a human being. Throughout history, there have been a number of individuals who have lived an exalted level of life, a very high level of consciousness. In ancient India, they were called Rishis, and they spoke out the Knowledge in its purity. But when the Master speaks, it immediately ceases to be what the Master said and becomes what the listener heard. The listener hears in terms of their own level of consciousness. The listeners passed it on from generation to generation, and the Knowledge got lost over time. Real spiritual Knowledge is subtle and elusive.
The mentality that has essentially taken over the globe is a Western mentality: the rational, scientific approach. That rational, scientific approach looked at spirituality and rejected it because it didn't make sense. Deep inside, in that place where we are one with everything, our core, we sense something. We all sense a commonality, a connection, between all people. That commonality is our source of common sense. We sense that one thing that is who we are in our essential nature and is sacred and is common to all people and all things. As our common sense refines, it becomes wisdom.
As our awareness becomes more evolved and refined, the understanding of life and existence becomes something that was unimaginable – it encompasses all aspects of life. It rearranges the totality of all aspects of life, all fields of knowledge. Everything is transformed. As we clear our windows of perception, faith becomes Knowledge. It fulfills the heart, but also makes sense.
There is one Consciousness, one unified field. The difference between you and I is that we have a different relationship with that one Consciousness. It's your consciousness, it's my consciousness. We all share the same one consciousness, but we all process it differently through our own brain, physiology, relationship with it. We truly are one and that is physics. It is also spirituality.
As we evolve as people, we live more in harmony with that one thing. In so doing, we live more in harmony with Nature. The most powerful way to culture our awareness and evolve is proper meditation. With proper meditation, the awareness rests naturally into its deepest, purest state, which is the field of Oneness, pure Consciousness.
Learn to Meditate from Michael Mamas:
http://www.rationalspirituality.org/meditation/learn-to-meditate/
Related Michael Mamas videos:
* Science & Spirituality: The Fate of Pure Knowledge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDDtN6IAhN4
* Science & Spirituality: Reviving the Knowledge of Religion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toEqzre_zj4
* It's Gotta Make Sense: Where Does Knowledge Come From? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n17eLRifVg
* Fundamental Principle #2: The Unified Field https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP86Syx6IPE
Related Michael Mamas blogs:
* What isTruth? http://www.michaelmamas.net/what-is-truth/
* More on the Experience of Oneness http://www.michaelmamas.net/more-on-the-experience-of-oneness/
* Echoes http://www.michaelmamas.net/echoes/
* How to get Enlightened http://www.michaelmamas.net/how-to-get-enlightened/
Related Michael Mamas articles:
* What Does it Mean to be Human? http://www.rationalspirituality.org/michael-mamas-wisdom/articles/what-does-it-mean-to-be-human/
* What is True Knowledge? http://www.rationalspirituality.org/michael-mamas-wisdom/articles/true-knowledge/
* The Big Bang Theory – A New Perspective http://www.rationalspirituality.org/michael-mamas-wisdom/articles/big-bang/
Related Michael Mamas book:
*UnconditionedSpirit http://www.mountsoma.org/product/unconditioned-spirit/

59:20

Rational Approach To Divine Origin of Judaism

http://www.simpletoremember.com/ Is there a rational basis to believe that Judaism is true...

Rational Approach To Divine Origin of Judaism

http://www.simpletoremember.com/ Is there a rational basis to believe that Judaism is true? In this lecture, Lawrence Kelemen presents a rational approach to the Divine origin of Judaism. You will find out the one unique claim that Judaism makes that no other religion in history has made.
Lawrence Kelemen graduated UCLA and did graduate studies at Harvard. In university he came up with a formula to demolish any religion. When he applied that formula to Judaism - the formula fell apart. You are about to learn why that is so and why Judaism is real. Enjoy "The Origins of Judaism"!
גישה רציונלית למקור השמיימי של היהדות
Approche rationnelle de l'origine divine du Judaïsme
El enfoque racional al origen divino del Judaísmo
For more info check out:
http://bit.ly/koZcDk
Unbroken chain of Jewish tradition: https://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/unbroken-jewish-tradition.htm
Mp3 version of this:
http://j.mp/bWC03Z

1:00:29

All Of Religion Explained In One Video

Religion vs Science - The origins of all major religions is actually grounded in a truth t...

Matt Ridley -- The Rational Optimist

A former science and technology editor for The Economist magazine, Matt Ridley is a journalist and best-selling author whose books include Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters. His most recent book is The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves.
Matt Ridley discusses the evolutionary process of "ideas having sex," calling it the secret behind human progress. He asserts that "barter was the trick that changed the world" and outlines his argument that life for the average human being is richer, healthier, and kinder than ever. Finally, he discusses whether limited government and rational optimism go hand in hand.

Andrew Lo: II: Bounded rationality

In the second of his lectures for Saïd Business School, Andrew Lo uses research from the fields of biology and neuroscience to explore "bounded rationality," i.e. processes and limitations of human decision-making. He refers to neuro-scientific research into split brain patients to show how different parts of the brain interact to form decision-making processes. He shows how we use the left part of our brain to create "narratives" that explain decision-making processes taking place in the right brain, demonstrating how human beings will choose the narrative that confers the best advantage in terms of survival via natural selection. His lecture provides an interesting insight into the potential limitations of complex economic decision-making.

Paul Bloom: Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion

We often think that empathy, our capacity "to feel someone's pain," is the ultimate source of goodness. Nothing could be farther from the truth, argues psychology professor Paul Bloom. Scientific studies show that empathy is a capricious and irrational emotion that can cloud people's judgement and even lead to violence and cruelty.
For full transcript and audio from this talk, please go to: http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/studio/multimedia/20161214/index.html

Paul Bloom: Against Empathy: The Case for Rational...

Science, Science Journalism, and Civility In a Pos...

Stephen Hawking was working right up until his death last week on his final work – A SmoothExit from EternalInflation – which is currently being reviewed by a leading scientific journal. &nbsp;. According to reports, the work predicts that the universe would eventually end when stars run out of energy ... ....

In another blow to the Trump administration Monday, the US Supreme Court decided Arizona must continue to issue state driver’s licenses to so-called Dreamer immigrants and refused to hear an effort by the state to challenge the Obama-era program that protects hundreds of thousands of young adults brought into the country illegally as children, Reuters reported ... – WN.com. Jack Durschlag....

Uber announced on Monday that it was pulling all of its self-driving cars from public roads in Arizona and San Francisco, Toronto, and Pittsburgh after a female pedestrian was reportedly killed after being struck by an autonomous Uber vehicle in Tempe, according to The Verge.&nbsp; ... “We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation of this incident.” ... "Some incredibly sad news out of Arizona....

An explosion on Sunday night in Austin shared "similarities" with three bombs that went off in the Texas capital earlier this month and authorities were warning on Monday that they are dealing with a serial bomber who is targeting the city, according to the Washington Post... “So we’ve definitely seen a change in the method that this suspect … is using.” ... “And we assure you that we are listening ... -WN.com, Maureen Foody....

A panel of federal judges dismissed the Republican lawsuit challenging a new congressional map that was imposed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, ending one of two challenges to the map on Monday, according to The Inquirer. The judge's decision said that the Republican lawmakers who brought the challenge did not have legal standing to do so and that the case is inappropriate for the court to take up at this time ...ChiefU.S....

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Thousands of families who rely on gas deliveries by tanker have been warned to start rationing after freezing weather hit efforts to clear a backlog in supplies ... Thousands of families who rely on Liquefied Petroleum Gas deliveries by tanker have been warned to start rationing after freezing weather hit ......

A group of like-minded teachers from government schools and colleges banded together five years ago, and embarked on a mission single-mindedly – the cultivation of scientific spirit school and college students, and the public. Determined to weed out superstitious practices and beliefs in society, these teachers founded the MysuruScienceFoundation, which has organised 60 lectures on a broad range of scientific topics....

Jenna Dewan Tatum has been cast as the lead in the Fox musical drama pilot “Mixtape,” from “Quantico” creator Joshua Safran ... She’s the most rational person she knows. And yet she’s a little guarded, as if always prepared for the worst ... ....

There’s been incredible progress in science in recent years, from driverless cars to genetic editing, but the scientific community has also faced significant obstacles recently ... Attract kids early ... We need to work on the understanding of the scientific process ... Hamburg argued that scientific data should be well-done and reliable, but that people don’t want new knowledge that can change their lives to be restricted ... ....

By Paula Bartolone, California Healthline ... The shortfall, which has intensified since last summer, was triggered by manufacturing setbacks and a government effort to reduce addiction by restricting drug production ... In a Feb. 27 letter to the U.S ...BeverlyPhilip, vice president for scientific affairs at the American Society of Anesthesiologists ... Dr ... Dr ... “We essentially have to ration to patients that are most vulnerable,” Shah said ... Dr ... Dr ... ....

Knowledge, we all know, is the driver of the modern global economy and is now fundamental to development and growth in any society ... Theories are the main building blocs of knowledge ... Its purpose, especially in scientific disciplines, is to guide research to enhance knowledge by support existing knowledge or generating new knowledge. All scientific and technological advances were only possible through the deployment of theories ... ....

Today is truly a day that the Lord has made, and the more complicated the world gets, the simpler the Word of God is to understand ... Yet why it is so hard to do?. We all know people who can quote scripture backwards and forwards yet have no faith ... I know I sometimes get caught up in constantly trying to rationalize circumstances in order to explain the events of the day, any day, as if by some miracle of intelligence, I am the authority....

KOZHIKODE. Local residents and green activists are up in arms against the proposed granite mining at Chengodumala in Kottur grama panchayat ... The move leaked and people are now on a protest mode ... Chengodumala is an ecologically fragile area which should invite comprehensive and scientific study before giving a green signal,” warned Prof T.P Kunjikannan of Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishad ... &nbsp; ... ....

DAYTON, Ohio — California’s attorney general responded to BrockTurner’s appeal effort in a filing made public Monday, arguing the Ohio sex offender was not deprived of due process during his 2016 trial ... Multhaup did not respond to a request for comment Monday ... The state argues there was “substantial evidence from which a rational jury could find appellant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of all three charges.” ... ——— ... —————. Topics ... ....

To expedite investigations of crimes like rape, financial frauds and murder, the police will now get forensic reports in a 45-day period. The short-staffed Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratories (DFSL) is struggling with a large backlog of cases. "We have recruited around 513scientific officers and staff on contract in January and are hiring 108 officers and assistants for the cyber forensics division ... PENDING CASES....

With springtime comes refreshed weather, more time outdoors, and those inevitable flyers and ads for air duct cleaning. The concept sounds useful enough, but you may be asking yourself — is air duct cleaning really worth it?. Angie's List members anecdotally report increases in air quality after a cleaning. However, the Environmental Protection Agency says no scientific evidence shows that air duct cleaning improves air quality ... .......

In the midst of March Madness, the Stars succumbed to their own brand of March Insanity. For now, the defining moment for this team’s disappointing 2017-18 season came late Sunday evening in Winnipeg as Blake Wheeler, the NHL’s assists leader, skated in on the Stars net where the last line of defense was, in fact, a helpless Jamie Benn... He is not a goalie ... There is nothing rational about their success against the Caps since then ... ——— ... ....